How to Housebreak a Stubborn Dog

There are many methods for housebreaking a dog. There are also some dogs that resist those methods. When every other method fails, sometimes you need to go extremes. While leashing your dog to you at all times may seem a bit much, it does work to break the cycle. This works extremely well with small dogs who are resistant to housebreaking.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Dog that is resisting housebreaking
• Crate for sleeping
• Leash

1. Place the dog on a leash while inside. Keep the dog with you at all times. The dog must shadow you and not be out of sight.

2. When the dog attempts to go to the bathroom inside, break his concentration and immediately take him outside.

3. Praise your dog loudly when he successfully goes potty outside.

4. Place your dog in a crate while you sleep. Your dog must not be allowed to roam the house without you watching.

5. As your dog gets more reliable, you can begin removing the leash for longer periods of time. A period of three to four weeks of tethering is generally long enough to break the cycle of urinating in the house.

Tips & Warnings

• Make sure you fully clean any area where your pet has had an accident. If your dog smells the remnants of a previous accident, he will return to that location again and again.
• Be sure to take your dog on frequent walks. Giving your pet ample opportunity to go to the bathroom will help ensure there are no accidents in your home.
• Tethering is not a long-term solution. Use it only to break the cycle of accidents in the home.